Good morning everybody! Today I had a loss of .6, the total is 24. The average so far is .77 lbs/day. Not bad!
I am concerned because as I was doing my shot today, I realized that my hcg is looking really low. I drew as much of it as I could into the syringe to see how much it is. It looks like it is only enough for 4-6 more shots. According to what the doc told me when he prescribed, there should have been enough for *50* shots. I have only done 31 so far (because of the one day a week skips). I don't know if I mixed it wrong or if I have used too much on each shot? I have tried to be so careful in measuring it everyday.
I wanted to take the max of 40 shots this round (as per the protocol) but its looking like maybe that's not going to happen. I hope I'm wrong. I drew up as much as I could but there was still some left and its hard to say how much. The main thing I am worried about is that my period should be starting any day now. I have read that ending the shots during that time can make it really hard to stabilize in Phase 3. I don't really know why, but many have had that experience. I felt confident that I wasn't going to run into that problem, having 2 more weeks to go. I'm not sure what to do! I wish it would just start already! It's 28 days since my last started... but lately it has come as late as day 35! (I've had a few pregnancy scares because of it!) If anybody out there has any advice for me I would love some guidance! I wish I could just go get some extra hcg easily, but it takes time no matter how you get it. Unless my doc would just give me another prescription. But I don't know if he could prescribe me just a little bit, and to get a whole prescription just for a few extra shots would be a big waste of money (the hcg probably wouldn't stay good until my next round in 6 weeks).
Anyway, I will try to figure this out and let you know what I decide. Have a great day everybody!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
P2R1 VLCD #31
Wow, 31 days down! A whole month! And guess what. I am DONE with school for 4 whole months! What a huge relief~!!!!!!
Today the scale stayed exactly the same as yesterday. I really am fine with it and have been expecting things to slow down, at least temporarily. This past week, I have had amazing losses. Not only on the scale, but I can see my body shrinking. It's awesome and a little strange! In a good way! 3 days ago I took measurements, and did it again today. I had gotten smaller in those 3 days (yes, days!)! My waist was down 1/4" (total: 4"), bust 1 1/4" (total: 4.5"), chest 1 1/4" (total 5"), and hips 1" (total 3 3/4") (the hips part is the most exciting as I have been asking my body to please start removing from that area! :). I think its absolutely incredible. Today while I was walking out of my office, I had a feeling that I haven't had in a long time. A sense of health and wellness and really being on my way to the me who I really am. It's hard to explain. I felt that way when I was having success with Weight Watchers, and it is a great feeling. I am so thankful to be out of that hole of despair about my weight that I have felt stuck in for sooooo long.
I am trying to prepare myself for the next phase because it is only 2 weeks away. I find it hard to believe that I felt the need to eat so much fast food and junk before starting this. I remember feeling like there weren't any other options. What? That is a huge thinking error! There is such a huge variety of healthy foods out there, that can be combined in delicious ways! I am so excited to try some of the low carb recipes I have come across. I am also excited to start exercising at the gym. I really want to start weight training and doing cardio to really help tone my muscles.
But I am trying not to focus on that stuff *too* much, because it *is* still 2 weeks away. As the weight comes off, I get about a million questions from those who want to know how I'm losing weight. I have referred some of them to this blog and assume that the more weight I lose, the more questions I will get. Therefore, I am going to really work on getting some links posted to essential things for people wondering about the HCG protocol to read. If you are thinking of doing this diet, it is so important to fully research it and understand as much as you can about it. The most important thing to read and understand is the "Pounds and Inches" manuscript written by Dr. Simeons. It is free... It's kind of long but not difficult. Especially if you are overweight. Dr. Simeons was an incredible physician and while reading his manuscript, you can feel his compassion for those who struggle with obesity. As far as I know, he himself was never obese, but he spent his whole 40 year career researching and working toward a solution to this problem. It really is an interesting read. I will post a link to it, but if you read this before I do, you can google "Pounds and Inches" and you will find several places where you can read it. Don't pay for it... it is free.
It's also important to know that as you research this protocol, you will run into those who say that it doesn't work. There is research that both "proves" and "disproves" this method. Its important to use your critical thinking skills to evaluate the information you find, and make your own conclusions instead of just believing everything that everybody says.
Well, I think that's about it for today! More tomorrow!
Today the scale stayed exactly the same as yesterday. I really am fine with it and have been expecting things to slow down, at least temporarily. This past week, I have had amazing losses. Not only on the scale, but I can see my body shrinking. It's awesome and a little strange! In a good way! 3 days ago I took measurements, and did it again today. I had gotten smaller in those 3 days (yes, days!)! My waist was down 1/4" (total: 4"), bust 1 1/4" (total: 4.5"), chest 1 1/4" (total 5"), and hips 1" (total 3 3/4") (the hips part is the most exciting as I have been asking my body to please start removing from that area! :). I think its absolutely incredible. Today while I was walking out of my office, I had a feeling that I haven't had in a long time. A sense of health and wellness and really being on my way to the me who I really am. It's hard to explain. I felt that way when I was having success with Weight Watchers, and it is a great feeling. I am so thankful to be out of that hole of despair about my weight that I have felt stuck in for sooooo long.
I am trying to prepare myself for the next phase because it is only 2 weeks away. I find it hard to believe that I felt the need to eat so much fast food and junk before starting this. I remember feeling like there weren't any other options. What? That is a huge thinking error! There is such a huge variety of healthy foods out there, that can be combined in delicious ways! I am so excited to try some of the low carb recipes I have come across. I am also excited to start exercising at the gym. I really want to start weight training and doing cardio to really help tone my muscles.
But I am trying not to focus on that stuff *too* much, because it *is* still 2 weeks away. As the weight comes off, I get about a million questions from those who want to know how I'm losing weight. I have referred some of them to this blog and assume that the more weight I lose, the more questions I will get. Therefore, I am going to really work on getting some links posted to essential things for people wondering about the HCG protocol to read. If you are thinking of doing this diet, it is so important to fully research it and understand as much as you can about it. The most important thing to read and understand is the "Pounds and Inches" manuscript written by Dr. Simeons. It is free... It's kind of long but not difficult. Especially if you are overweight. Dr. Simeons was an incredible physician and while reading his manuscript, you can feel his compassion for those who struggle with obesity. As far as I know, he himself was never obese, but he spent his whole 40 year career researching and working toward a solution to this problem. It really is an interesting read. I will post a link to it, but if you read this before I do, you can google "Pounds and Inches" and you will find several places where you can read it. Don't pay for it... it is free.
It's also important to know that as you research this protocol, you will run into those who say that it doesn't work. There is research that both "proves" and "disproves" this method. Its important to use your critical thinking skills to evaluate the information you find, and make your own conclusions instead of just believing everything that everybody says.
Well, I think that's about it for today! More tomorrow!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
P2R1 VLCD #30
Some people have been asking me to post pictures. I am only posting face shots because I am not ready to post full body shots! Besides, most people comment to me that they can see the weight loss in my face. The first pic to the left was taken on Valentines day of this year (2009). That was a month and 1/2 before I started HCG, and sadly, I think I even put on a few more pounds between then and the time I started. The pic on the right was taken this past weekend. I hesitate to post these, because while I can see a difference I don't know if anybody else can from these pictures. And on to today's news.... .8 lbs more off this body of mine. Total: 23.4. I was a little worried about my water intake yesterday... got to the evening and felt like I hadn't had as much to drink as I normally do. I guzzled lots of water last night and am glad to see a loss this morning! I am expecting that these losses might start slowing down in the next few days as it is going to be that time of the month. Last time I had just started the protocol, and continued losing during my period, but that was my first week, so I don't know what will happen this time. I am just trying to prepare myself not to get too upset if things slow down. Ya know what I mean?
OK, todays exciting news is about my Body Mass Index (BMI). If you look up to the left on my blog you will see my weight loss ticker that shows how much I've lost so far. On the top, it shows my starting BMI and my current BMI. Starting was 35.4 (YIKES) and current is 31.4 (better, but still yikes). 30 and over is considered to be obese. So yes, I am still obese. But I have gone down 4 whole points! Now for the exciting news. 8.8 pounds from now, I will no longer be considered obese but simply overweight. ha ha It's kind of funny that I am excited to be considered overweight. But it is moving in the right direction! I would *love* *love* *love* to reach that "just overweight" milestone during this round. Is it possible? Well let's see, I still have a little over 2 weeks (15 -17 days I think). 8.8 lbs in 15-17 days? I think its possible, but if I slow down a lot for TOM then maybe not. That would take my total loss for this round to 32.2, which exceeds my original goal of 30. Well, we will see. I am not going to get upset if it doesn't happen this time. But I would be so happy if it did.
I just keep thinking, next round (which I will finish at the end of July), I am pretty sure (hoping) I will end at "healthy". Not overweight but healthy. How awesome is that?
Well, y'all (that's for you Paula-if you're still reading!), I have to get up and get going now. I hope you have a wonderful day.
More later!
Monday, April 27, 2009
P2R1 VLCD #29
My scale is being SO VERY friendly to me! 1.2 down this morning!!!!!!!!! Total of 22.6! This is the 4th day in a row of good losses. I am so thankful... It makes it all so worth it! I am less than 4 pounds away from entering the next weight decade. Woo hoo! So today is the first day of my 5th week. I can't believe I have been doing this for almost a month! And I can't believe this first round will be over in a little over 2 weeks. Crazy!
OK, so the pic today is something I promised Grandma I would post. She read the link all about ketosis in one of my previous posts, and I told her I would put a picture of a keto-stick showing I am in ketosis. The darker the ketostick turns exactly 15 sec after dipping it in urine, the higher level of ketosis you are in (the more fat you are burning). As you can see, this one I took a picture of was pretty dark! Usually I am more in the middle of the chart. I don't really care as long as it shows that I am breakin down some fat! I have noticed since I cut out one fruit a day, the color has been darker. I guess its because I am eating less sugar.
Anyway, what else? I am almost done with school! I have one paper that I need to edit a little bit tonight, and that is IT for assignments. Last night I watched TV without a nagging feeling that I should be doing homework. Tomorrow night is my last class. It is such a relief to be wrapping up, knowing that I have a few months off. I am going to try to enjoy every minute of my low stress summer!
Well that's about it for today! More later, for sure!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
P2R1 VLCD #28
The scale went down again! .8 today, for a total of 21.4. I told Jorge last night that I wasn't expecting to lose today for two reasons. One is that I have never lost on a Sunday so far, which is the day after I skip my shot every week (I thought maybe that had something to do with it, but didn't know). Two is that my loss yesterday was so great, I just didn't expect my body to give anymore today. But it did! And I am happy!
Last night Jorge and I went out to Red Lobster for our anniversary. As a splurge, I decided to save my veggie from lunch and have 2 veggies at dinner (I have never mixed vegetables, as per the protocol), but I really wanted to have the salad (lettuce, anyway), and also a side with my crab. So I ordered the salad, and the waitress told me one of the choices was balsamic vinegar... I said "is it just vinegar?" and she said yes. When she brought me the "vinegar" it was most definitely not only vinegar (very thick and oily looking) ... she went to check and came back to say that it had olive oil and some other type of oil in it. Of course! I ended up asking for lemon wedges, and used lemon juice, salt and pepper as a dressing (it was yummy, surprisingly!). Of course I gave my croutons to Jorge. And left the tomato slices and cucumbers... I wasn't brave enough to add even more vegetables to my meal since I was already mixing two. For my main course I ordered 1.5 lbs of crab and steamed asparagus, no butter. Earlier in the day I found something online that said snow crab yields 17% meat, so I figured out that 1.5 lbs was 4.08 oz of meat. I shared some with Jorge and called it good! It was so yummy, even without dipping it in butter like I usually do. And of course the asaparagus was delish... even after all the asparagus I have eaten in the past 28 days, I still love it! Sometimes I even crave it! So glad it is allowed on this diet.
So after dinner we did something kind of weird... we went over to Gold's gym and went to the sauna. I have been wanting to go... have heard that as fat is released so are toxins, and going to a sauna helps to clear them out. So we sat in the dry sauna for about 20 minutes, and then went in the steam sauna for another 15-20 minutes. I took my water with me knowing that it was very important to stay hydrated... but my water even got hot after awhile! Anyway, it was a good night, we had fun and it was nice to go out to dinner and do something (sort of) normal even with being on such a strict diet!
I don't think I've mentioned on this blog my "cheating dreams" (I know, that sounds oh so bad ;).... I have had several dreams (or nightmares) where I ate something that was not allowed, and then after the fact realized what I had done. And I was *so* upset each time, knowing it was going to set me back several days of progress. Well, last night I had a dream where I was at some kind of a church function (dinner), sitting at the table waiting to be served, when it suddenly dawned on me "hey I'm on P2! There is no way what they are serving is on my diet!" so I got up and left! I think that's progress in my dreamland... I went from being totally unconscious of what I was doing in the previous dreams to being empowered to stop eating something I shouldn't before I did! As a therapist in training, I have become a believer that our dreams are a way that our brain works things out of our subconsicous. I'm not saying that *every* dream has deep meaning, but I really do think that these recurrent dreams are something my mind is working on while I am asleep.
Well, folks, I think that is about it for today. I hope you all have a great day!
More later...
Last night Jorge and I went out to Red Lobster for our anniversary. As a splurge, I decided to save my veggie from lunch and have 2 veggies at dinner (I have never mixed vegetables, as per the protocol), but I really wanted to have the salad (lettuce, anyway), and also a side with my crab. So I ordered the salad, and the waitress told me one of the choices was balsamic vinegar... I said "is it just vinegar?" and she said yes. When she brought me the "vinegar" it was most definitely not only vinegar (very thick and oily looking) ... she went to check and came back to say that it had olive oil and some other type of oil in it. Of course! I ended up asking for lemon wedges, and used lemon juice, salt and pepper as a dressing (it was yummy, surprisingly!). Of course I gave my croutons to Jorge. And left the tomato slices and cucumbers... I wasn't brave enough to add even more vegetables to my meal since I was already mixing two. For my main course I ordered 1.5 lbs of crab and steamed asparagus, no butter. Earlier in the day I found something online that said snow crab yields 17% meat, so I figured out that 1.5 lbs was 4.08 oz of meat. I shared some with Jorge and called it good! It was so yummy, even without dipping it in butter like I usually do. And of course the asaparagus was delish... even after all the asparagus I have eaten in the past 28 days, I still love it! Sometimes I even crave it! So glad it is allowed on this diet.
So after dinner we did something kind of weird... we went over to Gold's gym and went to the sauna. I have been wanting to go... have heard that as fat is released so are toxins, and going to a sauna helps to clear them out. So we sat in the dry sauna for about 20 minutes, and then went in the steam sauna for another 15-20 minutes. I took my water with me knowing that it was very important to stay hydrated... but my water even got hot after awhile! Anyway, it was a good night, we had fun and it was nice to go out to dinner and do something (sort of) normal even with being on such a strict diet!
I don't think I've mentioned on this blog my "cheating dreams" (I know, that sounds oh so bad ;).... I have had several dreams (or nightmares) where I ate something that was not allowed, and then after the fact realized what I had done. And I was *so* upset each time, knowing it was going to set me back several days of progress. Well, last night I had a dream where I was at some kind of a church function (dinner), sitting at the table waiting to be served, when it suddenly dawned on me "hey I'm on P2! There is no way what they are serving is on my diet!" so I got up and left! I think that's progress in my dreamland... I went from being totally unconscious of what I was doing in the previous dreams to being empowered to stop eating something I shouldn't before I did! As a therapist in training, I have become a believer that our dreams are a way that our brain works things out of our subconsicous. I'm not saying that *every* dream has deep meaning, but I really do think that these recurrent dreams are something my mind is working on while I am asleep.
Well, folks, I think that is about it for today. I hope you all have a great day!
More later...
Saturday, April 25, 2009
R1P2 VLCD #27
If yesterday's loss of .6 was good news, today feels like I've won the lottery...
2.2! gone! vanished! vamoos!
I couldn't believe it! I weighed myself 4-5 times because I didn't believe it. I still can't believe it. Can you believe it?
Obviously I am thrilled. Especially because this brings me to a total loss of 20.6... 20 lbs is a huge milestone for me! Soooooooooooooo happy! I am a third of the way to my goal people!
2.2! gone! vanished! vamoos!
I couldn't believe it! I weighed myself 4-5 times because I didn't believe it. I still can't believe it. Can you believe it?
Obviously I am thrilled. Especially because this brings me to a total loss of 20.6... 20 lbs is a huge milestone for me! Soooooooooooooo happy! I am a third of the way to my goal people!
I'm not sure why I had such a great result but I am going to keep doing what I have been the past couple of days. Something I forgot to mention yesterday is that I decided 2 days ago to cut way down on the calorie free sweeteners stevia and truvia. Stevia is allowed on this diet, and Truvia is a brand of Stevia that is also mixed with Erythritol. But I realized that I was using ALOT. I was putting the flavored Stevia into almost all my water, herbal tea, and on fruit sometimes. I am still putting it in the tea and on strawberries, but I am really trying not to put it in my water. Who knows, maybe that is making a difference. It makes sense to me. They say that Diet Coke, though calorie free, causes weight gain in some because of what it does to blood sugar levels. I wonder if the same could be true for stevia. Either way, moderation is always a good thing.
Also, after weighing all my food yesterday, I was at 499 cal before I had my last piece of fruit. Decision made, I didn't have it. I had a cup of Vanilla Hazelnut herbal tea as a treat instead. It was good, but not as good as the English Toffee flavor... mmmmmmm. I am thinking that I was *probably* going over the 500 cal a lot in the past, even though I was eating only the foods I was supposed to. Strawberries, for example, are low calorie but start to add up quickly (especially when you are limited to 500/day). And yesterday I had quite a few strawberries at lunch (10 oz I think).
I started tracking my calories at Fitday. It's free and seems to be a great resource. You type in the food you ate, select an amount, and it calculates all the nutritional information, and keeps it recorded in a daily journal. It's a lot like SparkPeople, which is also great. It's just that I have two different accounts at SparkPeople for some reason, and it gets really confusing. I don't know how to fix it, and some of my stuff is entered on one account, and some on the other. Therefore, Fitday is where I'm going to track from now on.
Anyway, that's my super awesome report for today people. Yip-dee-doo!
Also, after weighing all my food yesterday, I was at 499 cal before I had my last piece of fruit. Decision made, I didn't have it. I had a cup of Vanilla Hazelnut herbal tea as a treat instead. It was good, but not as good as the English Toffee flavor... mmmmmmm. I am thinking that I was *probably* going over the 500 cal a lot in the past, even though I was eating only the foods I was supposed to. Strawberries, for example, are low calorie but start to add up quickly (especially when you are limited to 500/day). And yesterday I had quite a few strawberries at lunch (10 oz I think).
I started tracking my calories at Fitday. It's free and seems to be a great resource. You type in the food you ate, select an amount, and it calculates all the nutritional information, and keeps it recorded in a daily journal. It's a lot like SparkPeople, which is also great. It's just that I have two different accounts at SparkPeople for some reason, and it gets really confusing. I don't know how to fix it, and some of my stuff is entered on one account, and some on the other. Therefore, Fitday is where I'm going to track from now on.
Anyway, that's my super awesome report for today people. Yip-dee-doo!
Friday, April 24, 2009
P2R1 VLCD #26
Good news today... the scale moved down .6, so a little over half a pound. Total is 18.4... Great to see after the past 2 days of staying the same! Thank you body! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I am thinking about changing things up a bit, to try to maximize my weight loss for the next 19 days of the diet... I want to get the most bang for my buck! I am going to commit to going for a walk everyday for one thing. School is almost over and I am going to have ALOT more free time (2 more papers to go, and the last class is Tuesday. YIPEE!) I am also going to keep a very detailed food journal. I know I should have been doing that all along, but I just haven't. I have realized that although I am following the diet (no cheats) I may have gone over 500 cal on some days... not a lot over, but maybe 50 cal by having larger serving of strawberries or a large instead of a medium sized apple. I am going to weigh all my food, and stay within that 500 cal limit. I am also going to eat very consciously. If I'm not hungry for my fruit, I'm not going to eat it just because I can. Dr. S said that things could be cut out of the diet with no problem. It makes sense that if I skipped a piece of fruit or went for a walk, the body would be forced to use more of my savings (fat) for energy. And hence, more weight lost.
More later...
I am thinking about changing things up a bit, to try to maximize my weight loss for the next 19 days of the diet... I want to get the most bang for my buck! I am going to commit to going for a walk everyday for one thing. School is almost over and I am going to have ALOT more free time (2 more papers to go, and the last class is Tuesday. YIPEE!) I am also going to keep a very detailed food journal. I know I should have been doing that all along, but I just haven't. I have realized that although I am following the diet (no cheats) I may have gone over 500 cal on some days... not a lot over, but maybe 50 cal by having larger serving of strawberries or a large instead of a medium sized apple. I am going to weigh all my food, and stay within that 500 cal limit. I am also going to eat very consciously. If I'm not hungry for my fruit, I'm not going to eat it just because I can. Dr. S said that things could be cut out of the diet with no problem. It makes sense that if I skipped a piece of fruit or went for a walk, the body would be forced to use more of my savings (fat) for energy. And hence, more weight lost.
More later...
Thursday, April 23, 2009
P2R1 VLCD #25
Well folks, the scale is exactly the same as yesterday, which was exactly same as the day before. Hmmmm. Interesting and a little perplexing. I am trying to take it in stride and have faith that my body knows what its doing, and that it's doing what is best for me! I bought some ketostix so that when I *am* staying the same scale wise, I can still check and (hopefully) see some evidence that my body is still burning fat (in a state of ketosis). I have checked a couple times (by peeing on the little strip of paper) since I bought the sticks two days ago and each time I have they have shown my body as being in ketosis. That's a good thing. For those of you reading who may not know what that means, here's a link to some information about ketosis and how it relates to weight loss (click on the green word "ketosis", Grandma! :) If you're wondering where to get ketostix, I just asked at the Wal-Mart pharmacy, and they had them behind the counter. It was about $6 for 50 strips.
I can't believe I have completed more than half of this round of the diet. I have about 20 more days to go. I had *really* hoped to see a 30 lb loss this round, but don't know if that is still feasible with the way my body keeps stalling. I can still hope, but I think if I make it to 25, I will be satisfied. That's only 7 lbs away. C'mon body! I'll give a little, you give a little! Let's do this thing!
I can't believe I have completed more than half of this round of the diet. I have about 20 more days to go. I had *really* hoped to see a 30 lb loss this round, but don't know if that is still feasible with the way my body keeps stalling. I can still hope, but I think if I make it to 25, I will be satisfied. That's only 7 lbs away. C'mon body! I'll give a little, you give a little! Let's do this thing!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
P2R1 VLCD #24
Hi friends...
Well, today the scale is the same as yesterday. I am amazed that I didn't gain back any of the apple day weight, which I presumed to be mostly water. Thank you Dr S! I feel very, very satisfied today that the scale is the same. 2.4 yesterday was huge...!
A few people have commented that they can see I've lost weight. It is so very nice to get a compliment like that when I have been working so hard at this. I know that sometimes people hesitate to ever comment about weight to a woman, even if its loss they've noticed. I'm of the opinion that if you have a genuine compliment to give, do it. It might make the persons day. Side note: I *would* be very careful about mentioning anything regarding someone you know (or don't) being pregnant unless a) she is very obviously 8-9 months and about ready to pop, or b) you have been able to confirm that she is, indeed pregnant, and hasn't just gained weight. ha ha.
My friend Aymee and I were talking last night about the life changes we are hoping to incorporate as we go along this process (by the way, she has started a blog too...check it out! http://www.nomorerolls4aymee.blogspot.com). I think this part of the process (P2) is priceless. I have learned so many things about myself. I think the most important thing I have learned is that I can live on healthy food and feel quite satisfied. Healthy food tastes good and makes me feel good. Of course, in real life, I will be eating more calories. But it feels so good that everything I am putting in my mouth is healthy and good for me. I want to continue on that path. I'm not saying that I plan to never have a treat or a splurge again. But I don't want to feel out of control the way I was. I want to listen to my body and respond appropriately. I want to enjoy the things I eat while at the same time, knowing that I am promoting my health. I am very excited to get into the Phase 3 and Phase 4 of this protocol and try some real life eating. I have been looking at recipes and am anticipating trying new things.
I can't believe I am more than halfway through this round of phase 2. Crazy!
Well, that's all for now folks! You can be sure I will be back with more, later.... Have a great day!
Well, today the scale is the same as yesterday. I am amazed that I didn't gain back any of the apple day weight, which I presumed to be mostly water. Thank you Dr S! I feel very, very satisfied today that the scale is the same. 2.4 yesterday was huge...!
A few people have commented that they can see I've lost weight. It is so very nice to get a compliment like that when I have been working so hard at this. I know that sometimes people hesitate to ever comment about weight to a woman, even if its loss they've noticed. I'm of the opinion that if you have a genuine compliment to give, do it. It might make the persons day. Side note: I *would* be very careful about mentioning anything regarding someone you know (or don't) being pregnant unless a) she is very obviously 8-9 months and about ready to pop, or b) you have been able to confirm that she is, indeed pregnant, and hasn't just gained weight. ha ha.
My friend Aymee and I were talking last night about the life changes we are hoping to incorporate as we go along this process (by the way, she has started a blog too...check it out! http://www.nomorerolls4aymee.blogspot.com). I think this part of the process (P2) is priceless. I have learned so many things about myself. I think the most important thing I have learned is that I can live on healthy food and feel quite satisfied. Healthy food tastes good and makes me feel good. Of course, in real life, I will be eating more calories. But it feels so good that everything I am putting in my mouth is healthy and good for me. I want to continue on that path. I'm not saying that I plan to never have a treat or a splurge again. But I don't want to feel out of control the way I was. I want to listen to my body and respond appropriately. I want to enjoy the things I eat while at the same time, knowing that I am promoting my health. I am very excited to get into the Phase 3 and Phase 4 of this protocol and try some real life eating. I have been looking at recipes and am anticipating trying new things.
I can't believe I am more than halfway through this round of phase 2. Crazy!
Well, that's all for now folks! You can be sure I will be back with more, later.... Have a great day!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
P2R1 VLCD #23-Happy 8th Anniversary to Jorge and I!
First, a little shout out to my husband, who may or may not read this. Today is our 8th anniversary and I just want to say I am so glad I married you Jorge! I love our life together and I am looking forward to the years to come! And thank you for your support as I follow the HCG protocol! Yesterday while I was doing apple day, Jorge took the kids out to dinner, which meant I didn't have to deal with making or watching them eat dinner last night. He is also the first to tell me when he notices that I have lost weight in different areas of my body... he certainly knows better than anyone else! I love you Jorge! Happy Anniversary to us!
OK, now moving on...
The following is taken directly from Dr. Simeon's manuscript, Pounds and Inches..."The apple-day produces a gratifying loss of weight on the following day, chiefly due to the elimination of water. This water is not regained when the patients resume their normal 500-Calorie diet at lunch, and on the following days they continue to lose weight satisfactorily."
The point I want to emphasize here is the "gratifying loss of weight", which indeed, I have experienced as a result of yesterdays apple day. 2.4 lbs gone this morning, baby! I don't think you can get any more gratifying than that, as far as a one day loss goes! This brought me into my next weight "decade" which I have been wanting so very badly to see. (you know, the next group of ten)...
I know it is primarily water, and we will see what tomorrow brings, but this is what I needed psychologically, I needed to see some progress. Hopefully my body will do what Dr. Simeons said, and will not regain that weight and continue to lose tomorrow.
One other thing... I took my measurements yesterday, because so many HCG'ers have told me that often, while at a plateau, they have continued to lose inches. While the results weren't a dramatic difference between yesterday and 5 days prior, there was some progress. 3/4" off the bust, 1/4" off the chest, and 1/2" off the right thigh (hopefully the left thigh experienced the same thing...ha ha!)
So now the total is up to 17.8lbs, and 17.5 inches woo-hoo!~ Isn't it crazy how those two numbers are almost exactly the same?
More later...
OK, now moving on...
The following is taken directly from Dr. Simeon's manuscript, Pounds and Inches..."The apple-day produces a gratifying loss of weight on the following day, chiefly due to the elimination of water. This water is not regained when the patients resume their normal 500-Calorie diet at lunch, and on the following days they continue to lose weight satisfactorily."
The point I want to emphasize here is the "gratifying loss of weight", which indeed, I have experienced as a result of yesterdays apple day. 2.4 lbs gone this morning, baby! I don't think you can get any more gratifying than that, as far as a one day loss goes! This brought me into my next weight "decade" which I have been wanting so very badly to see. (you know, the next group of ten)...
I know it is primarily water, and we will see what tomorrow brings, but this is what I needed psychologically, I needed to see some progress. Hopefully my body will do what Dr. Simeons said, and will not regain that weight and continue to lose tomorrow.
One other thing... I took my measurements yesterday, because so many HCG'ers have told me that often, while at a plateau, they have continued to lose inches. While the results weren't a dramatic difference between yesterday and 5 days prior, there was some progress. 3/4" off the bust, 1/4" off the chest, and 1/2" off the right thigh (hopefully the left thigh experienced the same thing...ha ha!)
So now the total is up to 17.8lbs, and 17.5 inches woo-hoo!~ Isn't it crazy how those two numbers are almost exactly the same?
More later...
Monday, April 20, 2009
P2R1 VLCD #22
A big fat zero loss. Apple day it is.
PM UPDATE:
Phew, I made it through apple day! hip hip hooray! I ended up having 4 apples out of the 6 allowed. It's not that I was necessarily full, I was just SICK of apples by the 4th one. I put some cinnamon on the last but didn't cook it or anything... I hope the cinnamon doesn't negate apple day! I just couldn't choke another one down! I will be fine if I don't have another apple again for weeks! (actually, fat chance of that happening, since apples are by far the most convenient fruit in the limited selection on this diet!)
I am feeling hopeful about what tomorrow will bring. I am actually looking forward to the variation allowed on the normal 500 cal/day! Who woulda thought? And I missed my English Toffee tea...yummmmmm. I had a hard day emotionally, but it ended on a good note. I went for a walk with Jorge and the kids, and then we worked in the yard together. Emma (3) was so helpful picking weeds, she is such a hard little worker. Jeffrey (7) was so excited because he planted an apple seed, hoping it will grow into an apple tree (how ironic he did that on apple day). Anyway, it really helped me get my mind off things. So glad the weather is nice. I'm going to try to walk and be outside more the rest of the week.
PM UPDATE:
Phew, I made it through apple day! hip hip hooray! I ended up having 4 apples out of the 6 allowed. It's not that I was necessarily full, I was just SICK of apples by the 4th one. I put some cinnamon on the last but didn't cook it or anything... I hope the cinnamon doesn't negate apple day! I just couldn't choke another one down! I will be fine if I don't have another apple again for weeks! (actually, fat chance of that happening, since apples are by far the most convenient fruit in the limited selection on this diet!)
I am feeling hopeful about what tomorrow will bring. I am actually looking forward to the variation allowed on the normal 500 cal/day! Who woulda thought? And I missed my English Toffee tea...yummmmmm. I had a hard day emotionally, but it ended on a good note. I went for a walk with Jorge and the kids, and then we worked in the yard together. Emma (3) was so helpful picking weeds, she is such a hard little worker. Jeffrey (7) was so excited because he planted an apple seed, hoping it will grow into an apple tree (how ironic he did that on apple day). Anyway, it really helped me get my mind off things. So glad the weather is nice. I'm going to try to walk and be outside more the rest of the week.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
P2R1 VLCD #21 (3 weeks!)
Hi everyone-
Well, today was a loss of .6... Which brings the total to 15.2. I considered doing an apple day but decided against it because today there *was* a loss that took me .2 below my lowest weight. I am really really REALLY hoping to see something more in the morning. Please, kind scale! Let's be friends again! I might still do an apple day tomorrow depending on what I find at the weigh in.
So today I have been hungrier and more irritable by far than any other day I have been on this diet. Hungry as in thinking about all the stuff I will be able to have on the next phase, which is still 20 something days away. It's better to stay busy and distracted, it never was a good diet strategy to focus on all that you can't have.
I think the irritability has been mostly due to my frustration with the scale. I imagine that if I had seen a loss of 1 or more lbs this morning, my mood might be a little different. I also have a lot of stress looming over me, as this is the last week of school... lots of papers due. And I have a pretty busy week at work coming up that I am not totally prepared for. The only things I have really been doing this weekend are 1- homework and 2-ruminating over the lack of weight lost in the past few days. Not a recipe for a very happy camper, ya think?!
On a brighter note, I joined a website today - http://www.happilythinnerafter.com/... It is loaded with resources about the HCG protocol. I browsed some pretty creative recipes that are legal on this phase (can't wait to try some of them!) and also some before and after pics, which are simply amazing. It is inspiring to see the way others have changed in response to this diet, and it helps me keep truckin along.
Well, I'm off to make dinner. Hmmm, should I have ground beef with lettuce or chicken and spinach? Decisions, decisions!
More tomorrow...
UPDATE (a few hours later)
Almost time for bed! Yeah! Since my post was kind of a downer, I thought I would share some happy things!
Happy thing #1: Friday I discovered an herbal tea that is so good, it feels like its wrong to drink it while dieting. Its English Toffee flavored (Celestial Seasonings brand), and I swear, it really tastes like toffee! I add Truvia (powdered stevia/erythritol) to it and it is SO good! I have been drinking quite a lot. In fact, I'm drinking it right now. Ii want to get some of the chocolate flavored stevia and add that for a chocolate toffee taste. Doesn't that sound downright sinful?
As far as I know, tea is fair game and can be consumed in unlimited quantities on this diet... if someone knows better you better tell me soon!
Happy thing #2: I made a very yummy treat tonight. Sprinkled a peeled, sliced apple with Truvia and cinnamon, and then cooked on the stove for a few minutes until they were tender. Added a little water too, which made the truvia/cinnamon and apple juices blend into a syrupy type sauce. This time was just the right amount of cinnamon... it was SO good! Like an apple pie! The only bad thing was for a moment I imagined having it with icecream... but I still enjoyed it all the same! It was especially good with the toffee tea!
That's all for now!
Well, today was a loss of .6... Which brings the total to 15.2. I considered doing an apple day but decided against it because today there *was* a loss that took me .2 below my lowest weight. I am really really REALLY hoping to see something more in the morning. Please, kind scale! Let's be friends again! I might still do an apple day tomorrow depending on what I find at the weigh in.
So today I have been hungrier and more irritable by far than any other day I have been on this diet. Hungry as in thinking about all the stuff I will be able to have on the next phase, which is still 20 something days away. It's better to stay busy and distracted, it never was a good diet strategy to focus on all that you can't have.
I think the irritability has been mostly due to my frustration with the scale. I imagine that if I had seen a loss of 1 or more lbs this morning, my mood might be a little different. I also have a lot of stress looming over me, as this is the last week of school... lots of papers due. And I have a pretty busy week at work coming up that I am not totally prepared for. The only things I have really been doing this weekend are 1- homework and 2-ruminating over the lack of weight lost in the past few days. Not a recipe for a very happy camper, ya think?!
On a brighter note, I joined a website today - http://www.happilythinnerafter.com/... It is loaded with resources about the HCG protocol. I browsed some pretty creative recipes that are legal on this phase (can't wait to try some of them!) and also some before and after pics, which are simply amazing. It is inspiring to see the way others have changed in response to this diet, and it helps me keep truckin along.
Well, I'm off to make dinner. Hmmm, should I have ground beef with lettuce or chicken and spinach? Decisions, decisions!
More tomorrow...
UPDATE (a few hours later)
Almost time for bed! Yeah! Since my post was kind of a downer, I thought I would share some happy things!
Happy thing #1: Friday I discovered an herbal tea that is so good, it feels like its wrong to drink it while dieting. Its English Toffee flavored (Celestial Seasonings brand), and I swear, it really tastes like toffee! I add Truvia (powdered stevia/erythritol) to it and it is SO good! I have been drinking quite a lot. In fact, I'm drinking it right now. Ii want to get some of the chocolate flavored stevia and add that for a chocolate toffee taste. Doesn't that sound downright sinful?
As far as I know, tea is fair game and can be consumed in unlimited quantities on this diet... if someone knows better you better tell me soon!
Happy thing #2: I made a very yummy treat tonight. Sprinkled a peeled, sliced apple with Truvia and cinnamon, and then cooked on the stove for a few minutes until they were tender. Added a little water too, which made the truvia/cinnamon and apple juices blend into a syrupy type sauce. This time was just the right amount of cinnamon... it was SO good! Like an apple pie! The only bad thing was for a moment I imagined having it with icecream... but I still enjoyed it all the same! It was especially good with the toffee tea!
That's all for now!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Brooke to her body
A fellow HCG'er wrote something similar on her blog awhile back when her weight was going up, down, stalled, whatever... when I read it, I got all choked up because I identified so much. I asked if I could cut, paste and have the same conversation with my body, with a little of my own stuff added in. Well, today's the day...
Brooke to her body-
I love you because you have nurtured and grown 2 beautiful children that bring me so much joy. I love you because you are strong and healthy, even when I constantly abuse you. I even appreciate you for your efforts to save me in the event of famine, by putting calories safely away into long term savings. I know that everything you do is in an effort to ensure my survival.
Body, you probably don't have a lot of reasons to trust me, but I'm telling you, I've had enough and I know you have too. Trust me, and I will trust you to release the weight which no longer serves either one of us. It's time. We deserve better. I love you, even if in the past I've not always expressed that. Release with me.
Brooke to her body-
I love you because you have nurtured and grown 2 beautiful children that bring me so much joy. I love you because you are strong and healthy, even when I constantly abuse you. I even appreciate you for your efforts to save me in the event of famine, by putting calories safely away into long term savings. I know that everything you do is in an effort to ensure my survival.
Body, you probably don't have a lot of reasons to trust me, but I'm telling you, I've had enough and I know you have too. Trust me, and I will trust you to release the weight which no longer serves either one of us. It's time. We deserve better. I love you, even if in the past I've not always expressed that. Release with me.
Friday, April 17, 2009
P2R1 VLCD #19
.2 gone, that's all. Oh well, it's a loss. I have been doing everything right so the rest is up to my body. Burn body, burn! :)
Thursday, April 16, 2009
P2R1 VLCD #18
My weight this morning is the same as yesterday. I'm OK about it, I've had some good losses in the past few days, and hey, it's not a gain. I kind of experimented yesterday. I ate fat free cottage cheese for lunch (no veggie, an apple, and a grissini to go along with it). For dinner I had one whole egg and 3 egg whites, boiled, along with lettuce with vinegar/water/stevia dressing, an orange and a grissini. I also had a bite of cottage cheese last night... I'll tell you why later. Anyway, the reason this was an experiment was because in the diet, eggs are OK to be used occasionally, and cottage cheese also. And I happened have them both, for the first time, in the same day. I have no idea if that would have made me not lose weight today, I guess its possible. I was pretty busy yesterday, going and doing fun stuff with my mom and kids, and those foods were just so quick and convenient. I was also feeling a little burned out on beef, chicken and fish. The cottage cheese tasted really good, since I haven't had any dairy (other than 1T milk a day sometimes) in over 2 weeks. But it was a little disappointing to see that 100g (the allowed amount) is less than half a cup. I ended up eating a half cup. I could easily eat a whole carton of cottage cheese in one sitting, so that took some restraint.
Last night I had my first experience of feeling really hungry since starting. I went swimming with my mom and kids after dinner, and I don't know about you, but I have always felt hungry after swimming for some reason. It's probably psychological, I don't know. But when we got home at about 8, my kids were wanting food (apparently swimming makes them hungry too) so I warmed them some chicken soup (Bolivian style, that Jorge makes and it is SOOOOOO good). I was having a really hard time not eating some. It has big rigatoni noodles in it, big chunks of potatoes, and is seasoned to perfection. I have to admit, I did lick a little of the broth off my finger. MMMMM. In an effort to stop feeling so hungry, I took a bite of fat free cottage cheese. I watched LOST, which created a distraction, and drank some herbal tea. Then I went to bed. I was pretty grumpy... I do not like to feel hungry! (who does when you don't have an option to eat?) But when I woke up this morning I felt fine and normal, and I am just now eating lunch. But I can tell you one thing for sure... I don't think I will go swimming again while on the 500 calories. At least not after I have already eaten all my food for the day!
So there you go. Let's hope I have a nice loss to report tomorrow.
Last night I had my first experience of feeling really hungry since starting. I went swimming with my mom and kids after dinner, and I don't know about you, but I have always felt hungry after swimming for some reason. It's probably psychological, I don't know. But when we got home at about 8, my kids were wanting food (apparently swimming makes them hungry too) so I warmed them some chicken soup (Bolivian style, that Jorge makes and it is SOOOOOO good). I was having a really hard time not eating some. It has big rigatoni noodles in it, big chunks of potatoes, and is seasoned to perfection. I have to admit, I did lick a little of the broth off my finger. MMMMM. In an effort to stop feeling so hungry, I took a bite of fat free cottage cheese. I watched LOST, which created a distraction, and drank some herbal tea. Then I went to bed. I was pretty grumpy... I do not like to feel hungry! (who does when you don't have an option to eat?) But when I woke up this morning I felt fine and normal, and I am just now eating lunch. But I can tell you one thing for sure... I don't think I will go swimming again while on the 500 calories. At least not after I have already eaten all my food for the day!
So there you go. Let's hope I have a nice loss to report tomorrow.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
P2R1 VLCD #17
I can't believe it but another pound is gone, gone, gone today! That brings the total to 15. I also did my measurements again, and I can't believe it... I have lost 16 1/2"! That is 7" more than the 9 1/2" lost as of April 11, 4 days ago. How crazy is that? The biggest losses were my chest (not bust, but right under) at 3 1/2", thighs 3 1/2" (not each but together), and waist at 3 1/4". I LIKE IT!
I love this diet! I can't believe the results I am seeing. I am no longer stuck! I have mentioned before that since my daughter was born I have not ever been able to get past the 10 lb mark, I don't even think I ever quite got up to 10lbs of loss no matter what I tried. The reason being, I would try so hard for months with just a few pounds lost, and no noticable changes in the shape or size of my body. So I would get discouraged and give up. I love that this diet provides me with the motivation to keep on keepin on. Immediate consequences for my actions.
Now I need my hips to catch up with my other shrinkage... I have lost 2" there which is small in proportion to the other losses. And that is the part of my body that bothers me the very most. So here's to hoping my body will start deciding to take some more fat off there! C'mon body, shrink those hips!
I love that I am not having issues with hunger, or cravings. Last night, I couldn't eat my whole cucumber, or my orange (I have to say though, that was one BIG cucumber! If you haven't tried an English cucumber you should. They are more expensive but so good!). I was too full. WHAT? Is that really Brooke talking?
My friend just started the diet... this is her 3rd day. We were just talking on the phone about how great it is to come to the realization that we are not going to die without all the food we used to be eating. It is so liberating. I love that I feel in control of me.
It looks like I have now lost my "freshman 15"... the weight I gained since I started my graduate program (really, I gained about 10, so I've lost a little more). I am excited to now start going down from there. I hate that I gained the weight since starting school. I have to find better ways to manage my stress when I start back in the fall. I am SO looking forward to this semester ending in 2 weeks. I need the summer to regroup, take care of myself and my family. Like I said, I just can't wait. I have 2 more big papers, 2 smaller projects, a quiz and I will be DONE!
Thanks everyone for your support and for taking time to read my updates.
I love this diet! I can't believe the results I am seeing. I am no longer stuck! I have mentioned before that since my daughter was born I have not ever been able to get past the 10 lb mark, I don't even think I ever quite got up to 10lbs of loss no matter what I tried. The reason being, I would try so hard for months with just a few pounds lost, and no noticable changes in the shape or size of my body. So I would get discouraged and give up. I love that this diet provides me with the motivation to keep on keepin on. Immediate consequences for my actions.
Now I need my hips to catch up with my other shrinkage... I have lost 2" there which is small in proportion to the other losses. And that is the part of my body that bothers me the very most. So here's to hoping my body will start deciding to take some more fat off there! C'mon body, shrink those hips!
I love that I am not having issues with hunger, or cravings. Last night, I couldn't eat my whole cucumber, or my orange (I have to say though, that was one BIG cucumber! If you haven't tried an English cucumber you should. They are more expensive but so good!). I was too full. WHAT? Is that really Brooke talking?
My friend just started the diet... this is her 3rd day. We were just talking on the phone about how great it is to come to the realization that we are not going to die without all the food we used to be eating. It is so liberating. I love that I feel in control of me.
It looks like I have now lost my "freshman 15"... the weight I gained since I started my graduate program (really, I gained about 10, so I've lost a little more). I am excited to now start going down from there. I hate that I gained the weight since starting school. I have to find better ways to manage my stress when I start back in the fall. I am SO looking forward to this semester ending in 2 weeks. I need the summer to regroup, take care of myself and my family. Like I said, I just can't wait. I have 2 more big papers, 2 smaller projects, a quiz and I will be DONE!
Thanks everyone for your support and for taking time to read my updates.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
P2R1 VLCD #16 (has it really been 16 days?)
1 lb gone this morning! That was great to see! 14 lbs total, in 15 days of the diet. That's an average of .93 lbs/day. Net loss (loading weight not included) is 11.4 with an average of .76 a day. Not bad either way. Total inches lost as of 3 days ago is 9 1/2. woo hoo! This train is rolling along! If I continue on the .76/day average, by the end I will have lost 22.8 more lbs, or be at a total of 36.8. I am happy if I just get to 30 this time around, so I think we're doing GREAT. As you might tell I am feeling encouraged today. I am so glad to be well into this, no longer at the very beginning. I felt so impatient to get moving along. So happy to be where I am, and even happier at where I'm headed.
I thought today I would give you a break down of the products I am using and those I have discontinued on my skin during this protocol. For those who don't know, Dr. S found that while under the influence of HCG, even the skin absorbs anything with nutritional value, and slows down or stops weight loss. At first I thought this was kind of hokey, and impossible. And I still don't know if it's true... but I am not going to risk it. If it is true, I think its pretty amazing that during pregnancy, a woman's body would use any and all means it could to keep that baby fed, even if it meant taking the coconut oil out of the that lotion and using it for food. The human body never ceases to amaze me. The more I learn, the more respect and awe I have for the creator of it.
Anyway, here goes my list. I have stopped using the following products: Lotion (this is a hard one!), conditioner, bubble bath, soaps with moisturizers (for the most part... I forget occasionally), make-up foundation, sugar free gum and sugar free cough drops, any type of in- shower skin moisturizer/shaving cream, gels, ointments (ie neosporin).
I continue to use: Shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, all make-up besides foundation, hair mousse.
Substitutes:
For conditioner: Spray in moisturizer (this way it doesn't have so much contact with my hands... ) It's not technically a conditioner but its supposed to help prevent damage from blow drying. I think it makes my wet, unconditioned hair much easier to comb out.
For lotion: I bought an oil free lotion at the pharmacy but I really don't like it. My hands have gotten very dry even while using it twice a day or more. That is what I am using on my 3 old as well, because I put her lotion on after baths. I recently bought some baby oil. It is made of mineral oil which has no nutritional value. I put it all over my body after my shower while I'm still wet, then towel dry. It has helped the dry skin a lot. I am also planning to put it in my next bath.
For bubble bath: Like I said, I am going to try the baby oil next time. I have used Epsom Salts a few times because I heard they are supposed to soften skin, but I don't know if it helped or not.
For foundation: Compact powder, same brand and color as my normal foundation. I don't think I look very different but my face definitely feels different... way more dry. I can't wait to go back to using my normal makeup.
Hand soaps: I try to use the kinds that aren't creamy. Sometimes I end up using just a hand sanitizer. But if I don't have the hand sanitizer with me and the only choice is creamy, I use it, because I am NOT going to stop soap washing my hands after using the restroom.! It's just not going to happen people!
Sugar free gum and sugar free cough drops: I don't have a substitute for these, but I wanted to explain why I included them in my hygiene/grooming items. I am a mouth breather and during the night I get a VERY dry mouth and throat. The dentist has told me that my mouth breathing actually does damage to my gums... he could see exactly where the air passes over them and where they dry out. So to keep my mouth moist at night, I normally chew a piece of sugar free gum or have a sugar free mouth drop all night (I know, weird, but the dentist told me this might help, and it does help alleviate the uncomfortable dryness. And so far, no choking!). Anyway, I have not been using them at all. This is definitely not helping with my ketosis breath (see post from Easter day) :)
Something that might also be noteworthy is that I have been taking AdvilPM at night. I have had major insomnia issues for the past few years. Sometimes, for several nights in a row I will only sleep a couple of hours and then wake up and be awake the rest of the night. When I take AdvilPM I fall asleep and stay asleep until morning, like a normal person should. Others in my family have similar sleep issues, so I don't know that they are going to go away no matter what I do. Obviously not getting enough sleep takes a huge toll. I can't fathom being on this diet without getting adequate rest, and that is why I have been taking the sleep aid. I just don't want to risk it. On the other hand, I have read of others who have had sleep issues that have resolved while on this diet. So I think at some point, I should probably stop taking it and just see what happens.
So there you go! More later...
I thought today I would give you a break down of the products I am using and those I have discontinued on my skin during this protocol. For those who don't know, Dr. S found that while under the influence of HCG, even the skin absorbs anything with nutritional value, and slows down or stops weight loss. At first I thought this was kind of hokey, and impossible. And I still don't know if it's true... but I am not going to risk it. If it is true, I think its pretty amazing that during pregnancy, a woman's body would use any and all means it could to keep that baby fed, even if it meant taking the coconut oil out of the that lotion and using it for food. The human body never ceases to amaze me. The more I learn, the more respect and awe I have for the creator of it.
Anyway, here goes my list. I have stopped using the following products: Lotion (this is a hard one!), conditioner, bubble bath, soaps with moisturizers (for the most part... I forget occasionally), make-up foundation, sugar free gum and sugar free cough drops, any type of in- shower skin moisturizer/shaving cream, gels, ointments (ie neosporin).
I continue to use: Shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, all make-up besides foundation, hair mousse.
Substitutes:
For conditioner: Spray in moisturizer (this way it doesn't have so much contact with my hands... ) It's not technically a conditioner but its supposed to help prevent damage from blow drying. I think it makes my wet, unconditioned hair much easier to comb out.
For lotion: I bought an oil free lotion at the pharmacy but I really don't like it. My hands have gotten very dry even while using it twice a day or more. That is what I am using on my 3 old as well, because I put her lotion on after baths. I recently bought some baby oil. It is made of mineral oil which has no nutritional value. I put it all over my body after my shower while I'm still wet, then towel dry. It has helped the dry skin a lot. I am also planning to put it in my next bath.
For bubble bath: Like I said, I am going to try the baby oil next time. I have used Epsom Salts a few times because I heard they are supposed to soften skin, but I don't know if it helped or not.
For foundation: Compact powder, same brand and color as my normal foundation. I don't think I look very different but my face definitely feels different... way more dry. I can't wait to go back to using my normal makeup.
Hand soaps: I try to use the kinds that aren't creamy. Sometimes I end up using just a hand sanitizer. But if I don't have the hand sanitizer with me and the only choice is creamy, I use it, because I am NOT going to stop soap washing my hands after using the restroom.! It's just not going to happen people!
Sugar free gum and sugar free cough drops: I don't have a substitute for these, but I wanted to explain why I included them in my hygiene/grooming items. I am a mouth breather and during the night I get a VERY dry mouth and throat. The dentist has told me that my mouth breathing actually does damage to my gums... he could see exactly where the air passes over them and where they dry out. So to keep my mouth moist at night, I normally chew a piece of sugar free gum or have a sugar free mouth drop all night (I know, weird, but the dentist told me this might help, and it does help alleviate the uncomfortable dryness. And so far, no choking!). Anyway, I have not been using them at all. This is definitely not helping with my ketosis breath (see post from Easter day) :)
Something that might also be noteworthy is that I have been taking AdvilPM at night. I have had major insomnia issues for the past few years. Sometimes, for several nights in a row I will only sleep a couple of hours and then wake up and be awake the rest of the night. When I take AdvilPM I fall asleep and stay asleep until morning, like a normal person should. Others in my family have similar sleep issues, so I don't know that they are going to go away no matter what I do. Obviously not getting enough sleep takes a huge toll. I can't fathom being on this diet without getting adequate rest, and that is why I have been taking the sleep aid. I just don't want to risk it. On the other hand, I have read of others who have had sleep issues that have resolved while on this diet. So I think at some point, I should probably stop taking it and just see what happens.
So there you go! More later...
Monday, April 13, 2009
P2R1 VLCD #15
Hi all...
Just a quick update... this morning showed a loss of 1.4- that is good, but still doesn't take off all the gain from yesterday (still have .2 left)... But that's OK, it's substantially gone. So I will just move forward from here. As of right now total loss is 13. Only 2 lbs to 15, which is only 5 pounds from 20! OK, I know, I am getting ahead of myself.
I am going to consider yesterday and today a "plateau", and if it continues for a couple more days, I will do an "apple day". On the apple day, you are allowed to eat up to 6 apples and that is all the food for the day. I know it probably doesn't sound that great to all of you, but I am even considering doing it today because I really don't feel like eating meat and veggies. I am feeling kind of burned out by my choices. I haven't decided for sure yet though because I don't know if I have truly "plateaued". I'll decide by lunchtime, and if I choose to go that route I will have to go buy some apples, because I'm at work and today I brought an orange!
I have read that stalling in the 3rd week is quite normal, and Saturday began my 3rd week of shots (today starts the 3rd week of VLCD). The apple day is described by Dr. Simeon as a psychological fix to a normal physiological plateau. A lot of water is released the day following an apple day and there is usually a 1-2 lb loss the next day. He also says that the days following the apple day typically show a break from the plateau in more losses.
Don't worry people. As you probably know, you will get a full report on apple day if I decide to do it. Just one more look into my fairly boring personal details! :)
Thanks to all those who read my blog. I think I know who most of you are and I appreciate your support!
More later...
Just a quick update... this morning showed a loss of 1.4- that is good, but still doesn't take off all the gain from yesterday (still have .2 left)... But that's OK, it's substantially gone. So I will just move forward from here. As of right now total loss is 13. Only 2 lbs to 15, which is only 5 pounds from 20! OK, I know, I am getting ahead of myself.
I am going to consider yesterday and today a "plateau", and if it continues for a couple more days, I will do an "apple day". On the apple day, you are allowed to eat up to 6 apples and that is all the food for the day. I know it probably doesn't sound that great to all of you, but I am even considering doing it today because I really don't feel like eating meat and veggies. I am feeling kind of burned out by my choices. I haven't decided for sure yet though because I don't know if I have truly "plateaued". I'll decide by lunchtime, and if I choose to go that route I will have to go buy some apples, because I'm at work and today I brought an orange!
I have read that stalling in the 3rd week is quite normal, and Saturday began my 3rd week of shots (today starts the 3rd week of VLCD). The apple day is described by Dr. Simeon as a psychological fix to a normal physiological plateau. A lot of water is released the day following an apple day and there is usually a 1-2 lb loss the next day. He also says that the days following the apple day typically show a break from the plateau in more losses.
Don't worry people. As you probably know, you will get a full report on apple day if I decide to do it. Just one more look into my fairly boring personal details! :)
Thanks to all those who read my blog. I think I know who most of you are and I appreciate your support!
More later...
Sunday, April 12, 2009
I get by with a little help from my friends (and family)
Hey all,
I know I already posted today. But there is something I just have to tell you all. My sweet little grandma, who has recently purchased and is using a computer for the first time in her 80-something years, has been reading this blog (today she told me she checks it every few minutes... Hi grandma!)... Anyway, she called me this afternoon before the family was going to get together at my mom's. Do you know what she called to tell me? "Honey, if you'll fix me a plate of your food, I want to eat what you're eating today"... She then proceeded to tell me that she could tell I have feeling down from my posts and she didn't want me to feel bad at dinner not eating what the others had.
It makes me want to cry just thinking about it. It was such a gesture of genuine love and concern.
I reassured Grandma that I would be happy to make her some fish if she really wanted it, but that it wasn't necessary for her to sacrifice her delicious Easter dinner, because I was going to be fine.
The fact that my Grandma actually thought to offer to eat my food is one of the nicest things anyone has ever offered to do for me. Thank you so much Grandma.
My other Grandma was also at the family get together. After dinner, just my two grandma's and I, talked at the kitchen table for quite awhile. It was so nice and I felt so loved and supported by both of them. I am so lucky to have both of my Grandma's a part of my life as an adult. Many of my friends haven't had their grandparents around for many years. I feel so blessed and I hope they both know that.
Also, I think they are both super cool for braving the world of computers and the internet so they can keep up with their families in this high tech age! I love you, Grandma's! (or as we affectionately refer to them in our family "The Grands")
ps Easter came and went and I stuck to the protocol. I did cheat a very tiny bit, but Jorge thinks its silly to even consider it a cheat. I used the juice from one lemon on my fish, and then, for dinner, drank water that my mom had squeezed lemon juice into. On the protocol, you are allowed "the juice of one lemon daily". I know it sounds trivial, but I am really trying to stick to things exactly. Dr. Simeons spent so many years testing things by trial and error, and I don't think its worth doing this unless you are going to do it all the way. So there, cheat acknowledged.
pss Jorge told me tonight he knows I am burning fat because he can smell ketosis on my breath. Hmmm, should I be offended or feel complimented? Too bad I can't use breath mints on this protocol.
psss 2 weeks down, 4 to go!
More later....
I know I already posted today. But there is something I just have to tell you all. My sweet little grandma, who has recently purchased and is using a computer for the first time in her 80-something years, has been reading this blog (today she told me she checks it every few minutes... Hi grandma!)... Anyway, she called me this afternoon before the family was going to get together at my mom's. Do you know what she called to tell me? "Honey, if you'll fix me a plate of your food, I want to eat what you're eating today"... She then proceeded to tell me that she could tell I have feeling down from my posts and she didn't want me to feel bad at dinner not eating what the others had.
It makes me want to cry just thinking about it. It was such a gesture of genuine love and concern.
I reassured Grandma that I would be happy to make her some fish if she really wanted it, but that it wasn't necessary for her to sacrifice her delicious Easter dinner, because I was going to be fine.
The fact that my Grandma actually thought to offer to eat my food is one of the nicest things anyone has ever offered to do for me. Thank you so much Grandma.
My other Grandma was also at the family get together. After dinner, just my two grandma's and I, talked at the kitchen table for quite awhile. It was so nice and I felt so loved and supported by both of them. I am so lucky to have both of my Grandma's a part of my life as an adult. Many of my friends haven't had their grandparents around for many years. I feel so blessed and I hope they both know that.
Also, I think they are both super cool for braving the world of computers and the internet so they can keep up with their families in this high tech age! I love you, Grandma's! (or as we affectionately refer to them in our family "The Grands")
ps Easter came and went and I stuck to the protocol. I did cheat a very tiny bit, but Jorge thinks its silly to even consider it a cheat. I used the juice from one lemon on my fish, and then, for dinner, drank water that my mom had squeezed lemon juice into. On the protocol, you are allowed "the juice of one lemon daily". I know it sounds trivial, but I am really trying to stick to things exactly. Dr. Simeons spent so many years testing things by trial and error, and I don't think its worth doing this unless you are going to do it all the way. So there, cheat acknowledged.
pss Jorge told me tonight he knows I am burning fat because he can smell ketosis on my breath. Hmmm, should I be offended or feel complimented? Too bad I can't use breath mints on this protocol.
psss 2 weeks down, 4 to go!
More later....
P2R1 VLCD #14
I don't really want to post today, because I don't like the news I have to report. But here goes... this morning I showed a GAIN of 1.6! What? I did everything right! I haven't cheated even ONE LITTLE BIT.
That being said, I don't think I drank enough water yesterday. I didn't keep track, but looking back it seems that I got pretty preoccupied with things I was doing and just wasn't hydrating like I have every other day. But still, that doesn't seem like something that would cause a gain of 1.6. I am so disappointed, that takes me back to where I was 3 days ago.
Today I am drinking lots and lots, and I am going to try to get to bed early tonight... I have been getting tired in the afternoons... I hope I am not coming down with something.
Anyway, that's the news. I am trying to just move on with things and not get too down about it, but it has definitely put a damper on my day.
Which reminds me.... Happy Easter everybody!
That being said, I don't think I drank enough water yesterday. I didn't keep track, but looking back it seems that I got pretty preoccupied with things I was doing and just wasn't hydrating like I have every other day. But still, that doesn't seem like something that would cause a gain of 1.6. I am so disappointed, that takes me back to where I was 3 days ago.
Today I am drinking lots and lots, and I am going to try to get to bed early tonight... I have been getting tired in the afternoons... I hope I am not coming down with something.
Anyway, that's the news. I am trying to just move on with things and not get too down about it, but it has definitely put a damper on my day.
Which reminds me.... Happy Easter everybody!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Some things to think about
I know I already posted today, but I have been thinking about some stuff that I will probably forget unless I write it down. So I will share it with you!
A couple days ago, I posted about the hard time I was having with the emotional side of eating. I was just thinking today, what a truly amazing opportunity this is for me... and I want to take full advantage of it. I read something another HCG dieter wrote... "The HCG takes away the physical battle (hunger) and frees me up to fight the emotional battle (eating for any reason other than hunger)"... how true!
I remember when we were dating, Jorge told me that he wished there was a pill we could take that would fulfill all our nutritional needs, and then we wouldn't have to worry about eating. Are you kidding me? That would be awful! I love to eat! Why can't I be more like my husband? But that is kind of what is going on with me now... temporarily. My body gets most of its food from my fat stores, and I get absolutely no taste, texture, full filling in my tummy, etc... the enjoyable things that go along with eating.
While I wouldn't want to live this way permanently, it really is freeing me up to recognize, analyze and figure out what my relationship with food has been, is, and what changes need to be made. I don't want this to be a quick fix. Well, I do want the weight to come off quick :)... what I mean is, I know I have to make some major life changes after the weight comes off so I can keep it off, and be free from weight problems. What other time in my life would be better than now to really do some work on myself so that when the hunger *does* come back, and the food *is* allowed, I will be able to act like a healthy sane person.
There were some other things I was thinking about, but I already forgot what they were (I had the thoughts while driving... it happens to me all the time... the light turns on in my brain on the road and by the time I'm home, I can't remember what my great idea was)....
So that's all for now. Thanks for "listening" :)
A couple days ago, I posted about the hard time I was having with the emotional side of eating. I was just thinking today, what a truly amazing opportunity this is for me... and I want to take full advantage of it. I read something another HCG dieter wrote... "The HCG takes away the physical battle (hunger) and frees me up to fight the emotional battle (eating for any reason other than hunger)"... how true!
I remember when we were dating, Jorge told me that he wished there was a pill we could take that would fulfill all our nutritional needs, and then we wouldn't have to worry about eating. Are you kidding me? That would be awful! I love to eat! Why can't I be more like my husband? But that is kind of what is going on with me now... temporarily. My body gets most of its food from my fat stores, and I get absolutely no taste, texture, full filling in my tummy, etc... the enjoyable things that go along with eating.
While I wouldn't want to live this way permanently, it really is freeing me up to recognize, analyze and figure out what my relationship with food has been, is, and what changes need to be made. I don't want this to be a quick fix. Well, I do want the weight to come off quick :)... what I mean is, I know I have to make some major life changes after the weight comes off so I can keep it off, and be free from weight problems. What other time in my life would be better than now to really do some work on myself so that when the hunger *does* come back, and the food *is* allowed, I will be able to act like a healthy sane person.
There were some other things I was thinking about, but I already forgot what they were (I had the thoughts while driving... it happens to me all the time... the light turns on in my brain on the road and by the time I'm home, I can't remember what my great idea was)....
So that's all for now. Thanks for "listening" :)
R1P2 VLCD #13
Happy Easter everybody!
This will be quick, because I have got to get myself and the kids ready to go to an easter egg hunt. Fun, fun!
First, the numbers. Yesterday I lost .2 (disappointed because I thought it was going to be a day for a 1 lb or so. Looks like my pattern isn't really there anymore!?) But today I was happy to see 1.4 gone! That brings the grand total to 13.2lbs/11 days of VLCD. Woo hoo.
Last night was kind of interesting. We normally go out to eat as a family every Friday or Saturday night. Jorge and the kids still wanted to go, so I dropped the kids off to him at the restaraunt and I went shopping while they ate. Kind of weird, I know. I was fine with it. But Jeffrey wasn't. When I explained that I wouldn't be going out to eat with them for the next month, he got kind of upset. He said he likes me the way I am and doesn't want me to be on a diet. It made me sad that it was so upsetting to him, but I just kept reassuring him that I am doing this so I can be more healthy and have more energy, etc.... He got over it after a few minutes. Then, when he came out of the restaraunt he offered me a piece of candy. I said "no thank you" and he said "WHY?" I said "remember my special diet?" He said "oh" and that was that. I never really thought about this diet affecting my kids at all, so that was just kind of interesting.
Well, I better get moving... the kids want their breakfast!
More later...
This will be quick, because I have got to get myself and the kids ready to go to an easter egg hunt. Fun, fun!
First, the numbers. Yesterday I lost .2 (disappointed because I thought it was going to be a day for a 1 lb or so. Looks like my pattern isn't really there anymore!?) But today I was happy to see 1.4 gone! That brings the grand total to 13.2lbs/11 days of VLCD. Woo hoo.
Last night was kind of interesting. We normally go out to eat as a family every Friday or Saturday night. Jorge and the kids still wanted to go, so I dropped the kids off to him at the restaraunt and I went shopping while they ate. Kind of weird, I know. I was fine with it. But Jeffrey wasn't. When I explained that I wouldn't be going out to eat with them for the next month, he got kind of upset. He said he likes me the way I am and doesn't want me to be on a diet. It made me sad that it was so upsetting to him, but I just kept reassuring him that I am doing this so I can be more healthy and have more energy, etc.... He got over it after a few minutes. Then, when he came out of the restaraunt he offered me a piece of candy. I said "no thank you" and he said "WHY?" I said "remember my special diet?" He said "oh" and that was that. I never really thought about this diet affecting my kids at all, so that was just kind of interesting.
Well, I better get moving... the kids want their breakfast!
More later...
Thursday, April 9, 2009
P2R1 VLCD #11
Hi all you out there!
Today I saw a loss of .6, which is much better than the .2 I was expecting. So that brings the total up to 11.6lbs/10 days of VLCD. I didn't have any beef yesterday, so I'm wondering if that had anything to do with the change in the pattern. I also had none today so we will see what tomorrow brings.
I am still not feeling hungry, and physically I am well. But today I am having some issues about this diet that are emotional in nature. So that's what I'm going to talk about...
First of all, if you know me, you know I eat when I'm happy, sad, bored, stressed, mad, .... the list goes on. Sadly, my reasons for eating are usually anything but true hunger. And this is one of the biggest reasons I find myself here with 60 pounds to lose (well, now about 48... :)
This diet has completely taken away my ability to feed my emotions with food. When I eat, the allowed foods are so limited (and getting a little boring... sorry chicken!). All the food is healthy and in reasonable portions. I can't eat past 7pm. The food I am eating is only serving one purpose... feeding my body with nutrition it needs.
When I eat in response to emotion, I rarely choose healthy food in reasonable portions. And I certainly don't observe time constraints under those circumstances. Tonight, I am sitting in a class that I have no more energy for (I have been in class for 5 hours and 15 minutes, with 45 more minutes to go! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGG!) My knee jerk reaction is to grab something to eat to alleviate my boredom and circumvent being tired. Someone brought a cake, another person brought pizza for everyone, there are donuts.... the list goes on. (Apparently, many others in this class have some of the same issues)... Of course, I am not going to eat any of that. In fact, I am not going to eat anything else tonight because the diet tells me I am done for today, and truly, I am not even hungry.
Bottom line is, this diet is forcing me to live without the comfort and companionship of food. It does not allow me to engage in emotional eating. While I am struggling with this aspect, I think it is very good for me. I want to use this time to analyze and figure out what my relationship with food should look like, and to think about how I can make the needed changes for the long term.
But still, I am feeling kind of sad, like I am missing a good friend.
Sorry if that's kind of depressing. But that's where I'm at today!
More later....
Today I saw a loss of .6, which is much better than the .2 I was expecting. So that brings the total up to 11.6lbs/10 days of VLCD. I didn't have any beef yesterday, so I'm wondering if that had anything to do with the change in the pattern. I also had none today so we will see what tomorrow brings.
I am still not feeling hungry, and physically I am well. But today I am having some issues about this diet that are emotional in nature. So that's what I'm going to talk about...
First of all, if you know me, you know I eat when I'm happy, sad, bored, stressed, mad, .... the list goes on. Sadly, my reasons for eating are usually anything but true hunger. And this is one of the biggest reasons I find myself here with 60 pounds to lose (well, now about 48... :)
This diet has completely taken away my ability to feed my emotions with food. When I eat, the allowed foods are so limited (and getting a little boring... sorry chicken!). All the food is healthy and in reasonable portions. I can't eat past 7pm. The food I am eating is only serving one purpose... feeding my body with nutrition it needs.
When I eat in response to emotion, I rarely choose healthy food in reasonable portions. And I certainly don't observe time constraints under those circumstances. Tonight, I am sitting in a class that I have no more energy for (I have been in class for 5 hours and 15 minutes, with 45 more minutes to go! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGG!) My knee jerk reaction is to grab something to eat to alleviate my boredom and circumvent being tired. Someone brought a cake, another person brought pizza for everyone, there are donuts.... the list goes on. (Apparently, many others in this class have some of the same issues)... Of course, I am not going to eat any of that. In fact, I am not going to eat anything else tonight because the diet tells me I am done for today, and truly, I am not even hungry.
Bottom line is, this diet is forcing me to live without the comfort and companionship of food. It does not allow me to engage in emotional eating. While I am struggling with this aspect, I think it is very good for me. I want to use this time to analyze and figure out what my relationship with food should look like, and to think about how I can make the needed changes for the long term.
But still, I am feeling kind of sad, like I am missing a good friend.
Sorry if that's kind of depressing. But that's where I'm at today!
More later....
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
R1P2 VLCD #10
Well, folks, I was right about what I would lose today... it turned out to be 1 pound even. 11 pounds down, 49 to go! In keeping with my pattern, I am expecting a small loss tomorrow... something like .2 and I won't let it bother me. I figured out last night that if I continue in "my" pattern until the end, I will reach my goal of 30 lbs for this round (which will end mid-May). After I figured that out I was feeling pretty good. But most people have some days where they don't lose any weight at all, and it seems to be normal. Like the body is trying to catch up with all the changes going on. Well, we will see... I will control what I can and let nature do the rest!
Today has been good. I got pretty tired around 5 but then caught my second wind just in time to make dinner for myself and the family. It wasn't like I was weak from hunger or anything like that, I just felt the urge to go take a snooze. It's funny, because earlier today I was telling a friend that its crazy but since I started this process, I haven't even felt like I needed a nap (which is weird for me. I have always felt the need for a nap).
My clothes are fitting different. I don't think anyone else can tell yet, but I can. The sad thing is, they are FITTING me now, as opposed to a couple weeks ago when I was still wearing them and being in denial that I needed a bigger size. I am really hoping that in another week or so, I can move down to the next size in my closet. I really can't wait to wear the size 8 stuff I wore 4 years ago, before I got pregnant. Hopefully, by the middle of summer, that's where I'll be. Woo hoo!
Tonight I tried something new with my apple. I peeled and sliced it, put it in a small baking dish and sprinkled the slices with cinnamon. I ground up my melba toast for the meal, mixed it with cinnamon, and put it on top of the apples. I then mixed some Stevia in water and poured it over the whole thing to add some moisture and sweetness. Then I baked the whole concoction for about 30 minutes. Oh, I also sprinkled some nutmeg on the whole thing. It was pretty good, but next time I won't add so much cinnamon. There is such a thing as TOO MUCH. But I will definitely try it again. Next time, I think I might also make the melba into a crust under the apples instead of on top. I read somewhere that's good. How exciting is my life, trying to think of creative ways to eat melba toast and an apple? ha ha
I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but liquid Stevia is really helping me drink a lot of water, which is always important, but especially on this diet. My favorite is to add the rootbeer flavored to my water bottle... then it tastes like diluted flat rootbeer. Which I happen to like. They have lots of flavors that sound good... grape, orange, apricot. I have orange, which is pretty good, but I like the rootbeer better. For those of you who haven't heard of Stevia, it is a natural sweetener that comes from a leaf. It comes in liquid or powder, and I have only seen it sold in health food stores. In addition to making my water more palatable, I have also heard a rumor that it helps "move things along" in the digestive tract, if you know what I mean. And unlike many on this diet who say they have constipation issues, that hasn't been the case for me at all. I know, maybe that is too much information, but really, if it can help someone else out there, its worth saying. :)
I think that's a great note to end on. More later!
Today has been good. I got pretty tired around 5 but then caught my second wind just in time to make dinner for myself and the family. It wasn't like I was weak from hunger or anything like that, I just felt the urge to go take a snooze. It's funny, because earlier today I was telling a friend that its crazy but since I started this process, I haven't even felt like I needed a nap (which is weird for me. I have always felt the need for a nap).
My clothes are fitting different. I don't think anyone else can tell yet, but I can. The sad thing is, they are FITTING me now, as opposed to a couple weeks ago when I was still wearing them and being in denial that I needed a bigger size. I am really hoping that in another week or so, I can move down to the next size in my closet. I really can't wait to wear the size 8 stuff I wore 4 years ago, before I got pregnant. Hopefully, by the middle of summer, that's where I'll be. Woo hoo!
Tonight I tried something new with my apple. I peeled and sliced it, put it in a small baking dish and sprinkled the slices with cinnamon. I ground up my melba toast for the meal, mixed it with cinnamon, and put it on top of the apples. I then mixed some Stevia in water and poured it over the whole thing to add some moisture and sweetness. Then I baked the whole concoction for about 30 minutes. Oh, I also sprinkled some nutmeg on the whole thing. It was pretty good, but next time I won't add so much cinnamon. There is such a thing as TOO MUCH. But I will definitely try it again. Next time, I think I might also make the melba into a crust under the apples instead of on top. I read somewhere that's good. How exciting is my life, trying to think of creative ways to eat melba toast and an apple? ha ha
I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but liquid Stevia is really helping me drink a lot of water, which is always important, but especially on this diet. My favorite is to add the rootbeer flavored to my water bottle... then it tastes like diluted flat rootbeer. Which I happen to like. They have lots of flavors that sound good... grape, orange, apricot. I have orange, which is pretty good, but I like the rootbeer better. For those of you who haven't heard of Stevia, it is a natural sweetener that comes from a leaf. It comes in liquid or powder, and I have only seen it sold in health food stores. In addition to making my water more palatable, I have also heard a rumor that it helps "move things along" in the digestive tract, if you know what I mean. And unlike many on this diet who say they have constipation issues, that hasn't been the case for me at all. I know, maybe that is too much information, but really, if it can help someone else out there, its worth saying. :)
I think that's a great note to end on. More later!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
R1P2 VLCD #9
Hello, my people! :)
So sorry I missed posting yesterday, I was very busy. I tried today to post earlier today, but my computer froze in the middle and I had to shut down without saving the post. Anyway, we're here now, right? So lets get on with it!
Yesterday was a loss of .8, and this morning was .2..... AGAIN! I am getting sick of the .2 thing! It has now happened to me 3 times, and it has been every other day. Do we see a pattern here? I am going to give you all the stats so far, and you tell me:
3/31 3.6
4/1 2.8 (why can't we do these first two again? That would be fabulous!)
4/2 1.0
4/3 0.2
4/4 1.2
4/5 0.2
4/6 0.8
4/7 0.2
-----------
Total: 10 lbs (but don't forget I gained 2.6 while loading. Maybe I need to stop reminding myself of that!?)
I am going to predict that tomorrow will be somewhere around a pound (maybe a little less, maybe a little more)... if that turns out to be right, maybe this IS my pattern of losing. Interesting.
I have been reading a lot and I am thinking maybe I am eating too much beef. Some people say they lose much more slowly if they eat beef more than a couple times a week. I have been eating it every day. I really like me some beef. But I am going to try to limit it and see if it helps speed up the losses.
I am also considering limiting or giving up chapstick. (AAAAAAAAGH! Anyone who knows me knows this is huge!) But I won't try that until I try cutting back on the beef. I have looked everywhere for an oil free chapstick and I just don't think they exist. I don't know if I can live for a day let alone weeks without my lip fix. You will all definitely hear if I decide to resort to that.
Today I went to lunch with my co-workers. I had already eaten my own lunch I had packed. My friends convinced me to go along and get some water and socialize. I wasn't reallly looking forward to it... they were going to the Brick Oven, a yummy pizza, salad and pasta place. But I decided to go. I don't think my life should stop just because I'm doing this diet. It turned out to be just fine. The food looked and smelled good, but I didn't feel hungry or deprived. I focused more on the conversation and was satisfied with the experience. I even took my orange with me from lunch in case I felt the need to eat, but I never even got it out.
Well, those are the highlights of today. Hopefully, tomorrow will bring some good news!
More later!
So sorry I missed posting yesterday, I was very busy. I tried today to post earlier today, but my computer froze in the middle and I had to shut down without saving the post. Anyway, we're here now, right? So lets get on with it!
Yesterday was a loss of .8, and this morning was .2..... AGAIN! I am getting sick of the .2 thing! It has now happened to me 3 times, and it has been every other day. Do we see a pattern here? I am going to give you all the stats so far, and you tell me:
3/31 3.6
4/1 2.8 (why can't we do these first two again? That would be fabulous!)
4/2 1.0
4/3 0.2
4/4 1.2
4/5 0.2
4/6 0.8
4/7 0.2
-----------
Total: 10 lbs (but don't forget I gained 2.6 while loading. Maybe I need to stop reminding myself of that!?)
I am going to predict that tomorrow will be somewhere around a pound (maybe a little less, maybe a little more)... if that turns out to be right, maybe this IS my pattern of losing. Interesting.
I have been reading a lot and I am thinking maybe I am eating too much beef. Some people say they lose much more slowly if they eat beef more than a couple times a week. I have been eating it every day. I really like me some beef. But I am going to try to limit it and see if it helps speed up the losses.
I am also considering limiting or giving up chapstick. (AAAAAAAAGH! Anyone who knows me knows this is huge!) But I won't try that until I try cutting back on the beef. I have looked everywhere for an oil free chapstick and I just don't think they exist. I don't know if I can live for a day let alone weeks without my lip fix. You will all definitely hear if I decide to resort to that.
Today I went to lunch with my co-workers. I had already eaten my own lunch I had packed. My friends convinced me to go along and get some water and socialize. I wasn't reallly looking forward to it... they were going to the Brick Oven, a yummy pizza, salad and pasta place. But I decided to go. I don't think my life should stop just because I'm doing this diet. It turned out to be just fine. The food looked and smelled good, but I didn't feel hungry or deprived. I focused more on the conversation and was satisfied with the experience. I even took my orange with me from lunch in case I felt the need to eat, but I never even got it out.
Well, those are the highlights of today. Hopefully, tomorrow will bring some good news!
More later!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
P2R1 VLCD #7
Well folks, I have made it through a full week of the very low calorie diet. Yeah! Only 6 more to go. Hmmm, that still sounds like a lot!
Today I lost .2 A little disappointing. But I have to remember that the weight loss is going to average .5-1lb a day. Some days will be small and some days will be more. I just need to keep on keepin on. 6.4 lbs gone from this body, hopefully more after today! More than 1/2 way to 10!
Today I went to a family dinner for the first time since starting this diet. And it was fine! Everyone was eating taco salad. I brought my own very lean ground beef that I had measured, seasoned and cooked to stay on the plan. I put it on top of romaine lettuce. It was actually really good! Sure the tortilla chips, cheese, etc looked good. As did the brownies, ice cream, and apple pie (thanks Grandma! ha ha) But truly, I was satisfied. I ate an orange while everyone else ate dessert. I even shared some with my sweet little niece, which I wouldn't have considered doing a week ago!
I will say, I do miss cheese! I made Jeffrey a quesadilla tonight and the cheese looked and smelled REALLY good. I'm glad I can have it on Phase 3....
Anyway, I feel like this blog is getting a little boring. I will try to think of something new and exciting to say for tomorrow. :) Something like, "I can't believe it, I lost 5 lbs in one day!" Now wouldn't that be exciting? Let's hope...
Goodnight!
Today I lost .2 A little disappointing. But I have to remember that the weight loss is going to average .5-1lb a day. Some days will be small and some days will be more. I just need to keep on keepin on. 6.4 lbs gone from this body, hopefully more after today! More than 1/2 way to 10!
Today I went to a family dinner for the first time since starting this diet. And it was fine! Everyone was eating taco salad. I brought my own very lean ground beef that I had measured, seasoned and cooked to stay on the plan. I put it on top of romaine lettuce. It was actually really good! Sure the tortilla chips, cheese, etc looked good. As did the brownies, ice cream, and apple pie (thanks Grandma! ha ha) But truly, I was satisfied. I ate an orange while everyone else ate dessert. I even shared some with my sweet little niece, which I wouldn't have considered doing a week ago!
I will say, I do miss cheese! I made Jeffrey a quesadilla tonight and the cheese looked and smelled REALLY good. I'm glad I can have it on Phase 3....
Anyway, I feel like this blog is getting a little boring. I will try to think of something new and exciting to say for tomorrow. :) Something like, "I can't believe it, I lost 5 lbs in one day!" Now wouldn't that be exciting? Let's hope...
Goodnight!
Saturday, April 4, 2009
P2R1 VLCD #6
Hi folks!
Today the scale showed 1.2 more pounds gone, gone, gone! ...I'm 6.2 lbs lighter than I was a week ago.... I like it!!!
In order to avoid problems with developing immunity to the shots, you are supposed to skip one shot every 7 days. So I didn't have my normal morning poke in the thigh. The HCG is still in my system, so I have not had any problems with hunger. Well, I did get hungry once, but for an entirely different reason.
I took the kids to McDonalds and toted along my chicken, cucumber and apple (some people in McD were looking at me a little strange. oh well.) Unfortunately the cucumber was VERY bitter and yucky, so I didn't eat it (I miss cucumbers from Grandma and Grandpa's garden. They were so GOOD).
Anyway, it's amazing how much of a difference the vegetable part of the meal makes, because I was ready to eat dinner a little before 5, instead of 6, which is what I have been doing all week. I told Jorge I was going to eat a whole pound of asparagus for dinner, because while I was cooking it I was so hungry:) He didn't believe I could or would eat it all, and he was right. I ate about half and was full. Very fibrous and filling asparagus is! It was good.
I had orange roughy (fish) with my asparagus for dinner. Scrump-didly-icious! It tastes like its cooked in butter, but of course it's not. I baked it in lemon juice, with a little garlic powder, dill and sea salt on top. I'm thinking this is what I will eat at the big Easter dinner next week. It is so good and really feels like a treat! Tonight I also tried making my orange into an "Orange Julius". I put the peeled orange sections in the blender with some crushed ice, vanilla and stevia. I don't know if I should really have vanilla... the recipe said to use vanilla flavored stevia which I haven't bought yet. But I took a risk. And it was REALLY good... it sure wouldn't have been the same without the vanilla flavor. I am definitely going to have that again!
I really can't believe how good I feel. Last night I realized this is the first time in a very long time that I feel in control of myself, instead of feeling controlled by food and the negative effects it has on my body. The food I am eating is healthy and not causing huge ups and downs in my blood sugar. I never feel stuffed. And last, but certainly not least, I am shrinking...
More later!
Today the scale showed 1.2 more pounds gone, gone, gone! ...I'm 6.2 lbs lighter than I was a week ago.... I like it!!!
In order to avoid problems with developing immunity to the shots, you are supposed to skip one shot every 7 days. So I didn't have my normal morning poke in the thigh. The HCG is still in my system, so I have not had any problems with hunger. Well, I did get hungry once, but for an entirely different reason.
I took the kids to McDonalds and toted along my chicken, cucumber and apple (some people in McD were looking at me a little strange. oh well.) Unfortunately the cucumber was VERY bitter and yucky, so I didn't eat it (I miss cucumbers from Grandma and Grandpa's garden. They were so GOOD).
Anyway, it's amazing how much of a difference the vegetable part of the meal makes, because I was ready to eat dinner a little before 5, instead of 6, which is what I have been doing all week. I told Jorge I was going to eat a whole pound of asparagus for dinner, because while I was cooking it I was so hungry:) He didn't believe I could or would eat it all, and he was right. I ate about half and was full. Very fibrous and filling asparagus is! It was good.
I had orange roughy (fish) with my asparagus for dinner. Scrump-didly-icious! It tastes like its cooked in butter, but of course it's not. I baked it in lemon juice, with a little garlic powder, dill and sea salt on top. I'm thinking this is what I will eat at the big Easter dinner next week. It is so good and really feels like a treat! Tonight I also tried making my orange into an "Orange Julius". I put the peeled orange sections in the blender with some crushed ice, vanilla and stevia. I don't know if I should really have vanilla... the recipe said to use vanilla flavored stevia which I haven't bought yet. But I took a risk. And it was REALLY good... it sure wouldn't have been the same without the vanilla flavor. I am definitely going to have that again!
I really can't believe how good I feel. Last night I realized this is the first time in a very long time that I feel in control of myself, instead of feeling controlled by food and the negative effects it has on my body. The food I am eating is healthy and not causing huge ups and downs in my blood sugar. I never feel stuffed. And last, but certainly not least, I am shrinking...
More later!
Friday, April 3, 2009
Hey everyone! I don't know if anyone is reading this blog, but I will keep writing even if it is only just for me! :)
Today I had a loss of .2. That brings me to 5 lbs lost in 4 days of VLCD. Not bad! .2 is not all that exciting, but that's OK... I'll take any loss.
Today, more than anything, I am feeling impatient. The 40 or so days I have left really aren't that long... I'm not suffering with hunger or cravings. I just want to get further down the road and see the losses! I think this diet is about the closest you can get to instant weight loss gratification, so how sad is it, that I am *still* feeling impatient.
I have cooked a few times for my family while on this protocol, and have been fine. Tonight I will have a house full of kids, and the thought crossed my mind to make cookies for them to have after dinner. Hmmm. Is that like an addict in rehab going to visit the dealer? Or maybe, being the dealer without intending to use? ha ha. I don't know that I want to tempt fate since I am feeling so good and in control. But maybe I *need* to do something like that to show myself that I can! Maybe I'll just go to the grocery store and buy them a treat so I don't have to make it. Or maybe, just maybe, they can just go without a treat! ha ha
More later...
Today I had a loss of .2. That brings me to 5 lbs lost in 4 days of VLCD. Not bad! .2 is not all that exciting, but that's OK... I'll take any loss.
Today, more than anything, I am feeling impatient. The 40 or so days I have left really aren't that long... I'm not suffering with hunger or cravings. I just want to get further down the road and see the losses! I think this diet is about the closest you can get to instant weight loss gratification, so how sad is it, that I am *still* feeling impatient.
I have cooked a few times for my family while on this protocol, and have been fine. Tonight I will have a house full of kids, and the thought crossed my mind to make cookies for them to have after dinner. Hmmm. Is that like an addict in rehab going to visit the dealer? Or maybe, being the dealer without intending to use? ha ha. I don't know that I want to tempt fate since I am feeling so good and in control. But maybe I *need* to do something like that to show myself that I can! Maybe I'll just go to the grocery store and buy them a treat so I don't have to make it. Or maybe, just maybe, they can just go without a treat! ha ha
More later...
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Hey everybody!
I'm taking a little homework break to do a quick update. This mornings weigh in showed that I was down 1 lb more. I have decided to stop including the load days gain in my total weight loss... so I am going to start from my beginning weight in the morning of load day #1... so I have released 4.8 lbs of the 60 I want to lose. After 3 days of the diet. Very cool! On previous weight loss programs, it has taken me over a month to have a loss like that (I have lots of notebooks filled with previous results that I compared). I will be excited to cross the 10 lb mark because since having my daughter, for some reason I have not been able to get past 10 lbs no matter what approach I tried.
I am feeling really good. Lunch is in about 1 hour, and I am not feeling hungry yet. I had some yerba mate tea for breakfast, with Stevia in it. I love Stevia! It's great to have found a sweetener that is all natural and not linked to cancer or other health risks! Although I have to be careful not to add too much because once you cross a certain threshold, it has a really gross taste. I add the rootbeer flavored to my water and it makes it much easier to drink.
I am feeling a little guilty because I am eating mostly organic, and all the food I'm eating is very good for me, but I am still feeding my kids crap. Last night hot dogs and mac and cheese. I know, horrible! Part of my plan with all of this is to transition my family to a healthier diet. It's going to have to be slowly. But it's really important to put the best stuff into their bodies so they can be healthier and happier in the long run!
Well, I better get back to the things I need to do today! More later...
I'm taking a little homework break to do a quick update. This mornings weigh in showed that I was down 1 lb more. I have decided to stop including the load days gain in my total weight loss... so I am going to start from my beginning weight in the morning of load day #1... so I have released 4.8 lbs of the 60 I want to lose. After 3 days of the diet. Very cool! On previous weight loss programs, it has taken me over a month to have a loss like that (I have lots of notebooks filled with previous results that I compared). I will be excited to cross the 10 lb mark because since having my daughter, for some reason I have not been able to get past 10 lbs no matter what approach I tried.
I am feeling really good. Lunch is in about 1 hour, and I am not feeling hungry yet. I had some yerba mate tea for breakfast, with Stevia in it. I love Stevia! It's great to have found a sweetener that is all natural and not linked to cancer or other health risks! Although I have to be careful not to add too much because once you cross a certain threshold, it has a really gross taste. I add the rootbeer flavored to my water and it makes it much easier to drink.
I am feeling a little guilty because I am eating mostly organic, and all the food I'm eating is very good for me, but I am still feeding my kids crap. Last night hot dogs and mac and cheese. I know, horrible! Part of my plan with all of this is to transition my family to a healthier diet. It's going to have to be slowly. But it's really important to put the best stuff into their bodies so they can be healthier and happier in the long run!
Well, I better get back to the things I need to do today! More later...
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
P2R2 VLCD #3
Hey all! Just a quick update because I am VERY busy today!
This morning I woke up to a 2.8 loss. That makes my total 6.4 in 5 days of shots and 2 days of VLCD. I also measured myself, and couldn't believe it but had shrunk 1.5" in my waist, .5" in the hips, .25" off my left bicep, and .5" off my thighs. Wow! I don't know if losing water can do all that, but I'll take it either way! The only place I really didn't shrink at was my bust. And I think that's probably a good thing. Usually when I lose weight that is the first to go.
I am feeling good today. Not struggling so much with feelings of grief about the food I can't eat! Just eating my meals and enjoying them. And not obsessing about food. I felt a little sleepy in the afternoon, but for the most part have had energy and feeling, well, good! I had lunch at 12:30p (chicken and a cucumber), and an orange around 3:00. I had an apple at about 5 and it is now 6 and I am not feeling hungry. But I need to go home and have dinner before 7!
So that's where I'm at! 6.4 lbs released from my body after 2 days of VLCD. I know its not going to come off like that much longer, but it sure is a nice jump start.
I have struggled a bit today with peoples comments questioning if this is healthy or not, saying "you are just starving yourself". I don't think most people understand what HCG does and why I am not "starving" myself. I have to remember, I did my research before doing it and I felt very good about this choice. So I am going to have to trust what I have learned. I think that not trying something out of fear of the unknown is a big mistake a lot of people make. And the comments I get are not from a place of knowledge, but really just expressing fear about the unknown. I hope that makes sense. I am going to stick with what I have learned and how I feel. And really, I feel great! I thought it was going to take more than 3 days on the diet to adjust and feel OK with it, but today has been VERY encouraging.
More later!
This morning I woke up to a 2.8 loss. That makes my total 6.4 in 5 days of shots and 2 days of VLCD. I also measured myself, and couldn't believe it but had shrunk 1.5" in my waist, .5" in the hips, .25" off my left bicep, and .5" off my thighs. Wow! I don't know if losing water can do all that, but I'll take it either way! The only place I really didn't shrink at was my bust. And I think that's probably a good thing. Usually when I lose weight that is the first to go.
I am feeling good today. Not struggling so much with feelings of grief about the food I can't eat! Just eating my meals and enjoying them. And not obsessing about food. I felt a little sleepy in the afternoon, but for the most part have had energy and feeling, well, good! I had lunch at 12:30p (chicken and a cucumber), and an orange around 3:00. I had an apple at about 5 and it is now 6 and I am not feeling hungry. But I need to go home and have dinner before 7!
So that's where I'm at! 6.4 lbs released from my body after 2 days of VLCD. I know its not going to come off like that much longer, but it sure is a nice jump start.
I have struggled a bit today with peoples comments questioning if this is healthy or not, saying "you are just starving yourself". I don't think most people understand what HCG does and why I am not "starving" myself. I have to remember, I did my research before doing it and I felt very good about this choice. So I am going to have to trust what I have learned. I think that not trying something out of fear of the unknown is a big mistake a lot of people make. And the comments I get are not from a place of knowledge, but really just expressing fear about the unknown. I hope that makes sense. I am going to stick with what I have learned and how I feel. And really, I feel great! I thought it was going to take more than 3 days on the diet to adjust and feel OK with it, but today has been VERY encouraging.
More later!
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